


the bitter taste of a trivial end

by gremlin_rights



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Dead Toby Smith | Tubbo, Gen, How Do I Tag, Hurt No Comfort, Probably ooc, Yikes, also someone else dies, does this count as hurt no comfort, happy valentines tommie, it's not obvious but i want to avoid not accounting for it, it's not purpled, no beta i die like tubbo in this timeline, post disc war finale, shit quality writing but at least i got it finished, tagging is hard, tubbo is gone..... crabrave..., tubbo sam and technoblade are only briefly mentioned sorry, warning for implied suicidal tendencies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 05:06:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29466225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gremlin_rights/pseuds/gremlin_rights
Summary: ( The aftermath of a timeline where punz arrived too late, but it’s a good thing he arrived at all. )Two boys that grew up too fast spar in L'manhole. Only one walks away alive, and it leaves a bitter aftertaste.
Relationships: All strictly platonic: no ships here, Grayson | Purpled & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit
Comments: 9
Kudos: 84
Collections: TWB Valentine's Event [2021]





	the bitter taste of a trivial end

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dullrockets](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dullrockets/gifts).



It has been a week since Dream was sent to the prison, leaving a dead child in his wake.   
  
It’s been 3 days since the hasty but emotional funeral for Tubbo.  
  
Purpled knows how long it’s been since these major events, and he knows he hasn’t attended any of them. He used to be more involved in the affairs of the SMP, but now he knows that he might as well fade into the background. It would be better, for someone in this field of work, to carry out tasks without feelings and with riches.  
  
He wakes up that morning and finds a chest near his newer base, and a single sign.   
  
_ <\-----------  
_ _ FOR PURPLED  
  
_ It doesn’t open easy, a small layer of dust flying from the top and the hinges creaking loudly. The chest is too big for the simple contents in it, a few weapons and a note. The note’s a bit wrinkled with age. It doesn’t contain much, as small as it is, and the messy but readable handwriting asks for one thing.  
  
_ I heard you fight, Big P  
_ _ how about a spar in L’manhole? Winner gets paid  
_ _ It’s until respawn or else you’re a pussy  
_ _ \- Big T (aka TommyInnit)  
  
_ How could Purpled refuse that? It has certainly been a while since he actually stretched his legs. While it wasn’t a 100% certified win for Purpled, the chances were pretty favorable and the stakes were pretty low.   
  
It’s also been a while since he interacted with Tommy. They weren’t really friends by any means, but they fought together at one point. They grew up fighting, so it was fitting that they only grew closer in the same way.   
  
There weren’t any conditions or terms listed on the note. Purpled took a glance at his gear, hummed, and went to prepare.

* * *

L’manberg has certainly changed, since the last time Purpled was there. It’s now a crater, no longer the place that people fought for and certainly not a place where people lived anymore. The L’manhole, as it was called, laid where it was, eerily the same as it was only a day after Doomsday. The ground at the bottom of the crater was barren but not flat, decorated by different and varied lumps of bedrock. Shards and platforms of stone pierced the air, accompanied by dust and ash.  
  
Purpled descended into the crater to be greeted by Tommy, who sat on the bed near the large flag built for L’manberg and spun a stone sword that looked like it was about to fall apart. Purpled took one glance at his own iron sword and raised an eyebrow, to which Tommy smirked in response.  
  
“Big P! You know I don’t need anything more than a stone sword to utterly kick your ass. I am just so fucking good at sparring like that.”  
  
Purpled rolled his eyes and pulled out a crafting table. “Nice try, Tommy. But maybe it would be more of a satisfying and clean victory if we both used iron swords. And by victory, I mean for me of course.” He snorted and held out a newly crafted iron sword.   
  
“Oh you bitch! I’ll have you know that being absent of the SMP is such a fucking mistake Big P. Then you’d be properly scared of my fighting goodness. You fucker.” Tommy walked over to gingerly take the sword off of Purpled’s hands. He swung and weighed the sword back and forth, grip loose and form messy. Tommy looked at it a little longer before ending back up by the bed, a hand in his pocket and the other gesturing wildly with sword in hand.  
  
“You fucking suck at crafting, Big P.” Tommy grinned wider at his own comment, and Purpled just sighed.   
  
“You’re one to talk, Mr. Broken Stone Sword and tattered shirt. Only comment when you at least look like you have your life together, alright?” Purpled cracked his knuckles and stretched, demonstrating the moves that made him famous in Hypixel.  
  
Tommy froze for only a moment, and then took his hand out of his pocket. “Well Big P, I think it’s time for our spar don’t you think?”  
  
Purpled hummed. “Say no more.”  
  
There was no countdown, no more preparation, just the faint clashing and swishing of swords swinging and blocking.  
  
Tommy made wide and fast motions, on the offensive and constantly moving forward. His strides were undeterred by the sharp and sudden bumps of bedrock, using every time he tripped as a way to gain more momentum as he swung. It wasn’t as effective as it could’ve been, Tommy’s whole body weight not really making an impact. He fought hard and full of power, but his eyes remained gray and his steps swayed. He was full of openings, almost asking to lose like this.  
  
Purpled retaliated each of Tommy’s strikes with precision, biding his time with blocking and redirecting most of Tommy’s hits. His moves were calculated and reserved, contrasting Tommy’s own style. It took only 4 quick and deadly hits for Tommy to go down. Since it was until death and respawn, Purpled expected Tommy to pop up right near the bed any time now.  
  
But Tommy remained bleeding out on the bedrock, and Purpled paled. He dropped his sword and stared.  
  
Tommy coughed, and weakly beckoned Purpled over. “... good job, Big P. You won that spar pretty easily, didn’t you?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a note with coordinates on it. “Here’s your reward big man… since I heard you get paid.”  
  
“Paid? Paid? Tommy, I only…”  
  
“I know, I know, I heard… taking after Punz, right? J-just tell Sam and Tubbo that I’m sorry, just… yeah, yeah.” Tommy grunted as he tried to sit himself up. “Thanks, Purpled. It was nice, innit?”  
  
Purpled felt himself nod as Tommy leaned his head back onto the ground. He closed his eyes, and Purpled felt the warmth draining from his form and his strength waning.  
  
The death message seemed trivial, as it was sent out to everyone’s communicators. Death messages were sent out all the time, whether it be from falling or a lethal but well meaning playful hit. But it was different, with no respawned TommyInnit hot on the message’s heels and calling Purpled a bitch or a cheater.  
  
It was just sent out in the middle of the day, and Purpled could only walk back out the crater with another bloody sword in his inventory and Tommy’s body in his arms.  
  
( Awesamdude was the first to see the two come out of the crater. Purpled laid Tommy’s body gently on the Prime Path in front of them.  
  
“You deserved to know if anything, Sam. I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for him to, y’know, lose his final life and all.”  
  
Sam took a deep breath and pat Purpled on the shoulder. “... I’m sure you had your reasons.” )

* * *

It is later when Purpled finds the coordinates that Tommy gives him. It lays a single chest with a payment of diamonds, and some books labeled for different people.  
  
The books find their way to their intended recipients. Only one has the courage to read their book.  
  
It is even later that Technoblade opens his ender chest and a menu mocks him, daring him to make a choice between his ender chest and Tommy’s.  
  
There are tears shed throughout the SMP, and a new grave next to Tubbo’s near the bench.  
  
There are no new ghosts in the Dream SMP, either.

**Author's Note:**

> happy valentine's day, tommie! sorry for being late lmao
> 
> ohp i snese trauma did not happen but this did so i hope you enjoyed!


End file.
